Angst, Soul, and Rock 'n' Roll

Modern rock artists search for meaning in this chaotic world

By Josh Hernandez

They say music reflects the era in which it was made. Throughout history, songwriters—intentionally or otherwise—have penned lyrics infused with the energy of the day, leaving behind era-defining songs of hope, despair, and rebellion. For nearly a hundred years, rock (including metal) has been the genre of rebellion.

Since its inception, rock has prided itself on defying the mainstream and being the voice of the counterculture. When nations went to war, rock rallied for peace. When drugs were taboo, rock chattered about their mind-bending effects. When kids were told to conform, rock told them to stand up and fight for independence (or party, whichever came first). As the mainstream culture changed, so did the counterculture.

Now, in a world of censorship, hyper-sensitivity, open sexuality, chaos, and violence, rock has found itself in a bit of a crisis. What do you do when the mainstream touts what was once counterculture, all while ostracizing anyone who disagrees? In a world of self-destruction, what defines the new counterculture?

So, rock artists have been venting their frustration through aggressive, experimental songs, with more angst than ever before. But under the surface—beneath the anxiety, depression, self-hatred, and delusions of grandeur—are the thinly veiled cries for release. Artists passionately voice their disillusionment with a society that views them as nothing more than bodies and data. In the process, they have become the voice of the new counterculture.

These rock bands come from across the world, including England, France, Australia, the Netherlands, and America. Today, however, I decided to focus on two bands in particular: Sleep Token and Kingdom of Giants.

First, Kingdom of Giants, the more obscure of the two. In 2020, the American band released their song “Wayfinder”, highlighting isolation and the search for the eternal now.

The chorus reads:

Are we blindly searching for meaning

Of who we are

We are passengers

The roads we take call us home

Life’s so finite caught in the headlights

Blink and you’ll miss it

We are passengers

The roads we take call us home

“Wayfinder” expresses a deep longing for an escape from self-destructive habits. Feeling disconnected from reality, the narrator feels anxious and miserable in their current state. Locked in a state of fear (“I cannot sleep without the sound of the TV”), the narrator desperately seeks change.

Later, the narrator boldly asks:

Is it criminal

If I rob myself of anything that’s spiritual

‘Cause I’m nothing more than chemicals and attitude

What am I supposed to do

I’m not invincible

Is it too late to make a change

“What am I supposed to do?” is a strained cry that goes unanswered in a world of virtual reality, artificial relationships, and vanity. The world is hollow and meaningless, and society is a parasite that keeps us disconnected from the present. All the while, we’re left drowning in a sea of our own confusion.

Next up, is Sleep Token, an anonymous English band that is rapidly finding success in the UK. Their song, “Take Me Back to Eden”¹ is the title song from their most recent album:

Now, Sleep Token’s lyrics are surrounded by countless fan-theories, as there’s a loose storyline and characters associated with their music. (Basically, a guy is in a toxic relationship with a deity.) While no clear interpretation exists, however, Take Me Back to Eden can be seen as being about the longing for purity and spiritual safety.

Having completely destroyed himself, the narrator (named Vessel) describes himself as “a waking hell”. He’s realized the damage he’s caused to himself and others. Vessel longs to return to who he used to be, but doesn’t know how in his bitter state:

No amount of self-sought fury

Will bring back the glory of innocence

Additionally, Vessel fears he may never find salvation because—to paraphrase—the gods have grown tired of him. In the final lines of the song, he pleads:

I have traveled far beyond the path of reason

Take me back to Eden

Take me back to Eden

“JS”, I hear someone saying, “you’re overthinking this.” Well, sure. Maybe these songs are just written to cater to melodramatic teens. However, this risks being a shallow interpretation. The longing, emptiness, and angst conveyed in many modern rock songs are real. In between sweeping ballads and nonsensical party tunes is the dread of a generation.

Of course, this isn’t a new development for rock. Iconic songs such as “Numb” by Linkin Park, or “(I Can’t Get) No Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones convey disillusionment towards society, peers, and even the self. However, I’d argue that the angst in rock today is more culturally significant than ever before.

In a society filled with nihilism and blatant sin, many feel stuck between giving into temptation and completely detaching. We live in a society run by human predators who care about nothing but their own pockets. Many feel like they’re going insane. Rock has always been a voice for the impassioned and lost, providing them with an outlet to voice these frustrations. Rock bands today echo to the anguished cries of those who wonder, “What am I supposed to do?!”

In the sea of confusion and despair, some have found solace. Peace, they realize, is not found in society, but within the soul. Life may not be “perfect,” they realize, but it is real and earnest. It’s wonderful and even the darkness is worth something.

A song that elegantly reflects this idea is “Indigo” by Of Mice & Men (who, incidentally, are labelmates with Kingdom of Giants). “Indigo” marvels at the wonder of life and the beautiful people we find within it. The chorus reads:

I want to know why the sea reflects the sky

Why we live, why we love, and why we die

I want to know what a sunset looks like from the other side

I want to know why the sea reflects the sky

Truth and harmony are found within. Once we achieve inner peace by embracing the Spirit of Life, we can work to create peace in the outer world, surpassing the chaos of earthly distractions. As the hermetics say, “As within, so without. As above, so below. As the universe, so the soul.”

May we all find such peace on Earth one day.

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1. This is one of the best albums I’ve heard all year.